Methods of making impact attenuating devices and products containing such devices

ABSTRACT

An impact attenuating device includes both concave and convex side walls, e.g., in an interleaved arrangement, optionally at least partially surrounded by a restraining element that may help return the impact attenuating device back to its original orientation after attenuating an impact. Such impact attenuating devices may be included in pieces of footwear and/or other foot-receiving devices. Additionally, such impact attenuating devices or portions thereof may be freely selected and/or interchanged in a piece of footwear or other foot-receiving device, e.g., based on one or more characteristics of an intended user and/or an intended use, so as to allow users to obtain footwear (or other devices) customized and targeted for use under a predetermined set of conditions.

RELATED APPLICATION DATA

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/949,813 filed Sep. 27, 2004 in the name of Michael A. Aveni andentitled “Impact Attenuating Devices and Products Containing SuchDevices” (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,458,172, issued Dec. 2, 2008). Thispriority application is entirely incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to impact attenuating devices. Suchdevices may be provided in a wide variety of different products, e.g.,in footwear products and other foot-receiving devices, such as in theheel and/or toe areas of footwear products. This application generallyrelates to impact attenuating elements of the type described inconcurrently filed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/949,812, entitled“Impact Attenuating and Spring Elements and Products Containing SuchElements,” naming Patricia Smaldone, Michael Aveni, and Fred Fagergrenas inventors. This concurrently filed U.S. patent application isentirely incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Conventional articles of athletic footwear have included two primaryelements, namely an upper and a sole member or structure. The upperprovides a covering for the foot that securely receives and positionsthe foot with respect to the sole structure. In addition, the upper mayhave a configuration that protects the foot and provides ventilation,thereby cooling the foot and removing perspiration. The sole structuregenerally is secured to a lower portion of the upper and generally ispositioned between the foot and the ground. In addition to attenuatingground reaction forces (i.e., imparting cushioning), the sole structuremay provide traction and control foot motions, such as pronation.Accordingly, the upper and the sole structure operate cooperatively toprovide a comfortable structure that is suited for a variety ofambulatory activities, such as walking and running.

The sole member or structure of athletic footwear generally exhibits alayered configuration that includes a comfort-enhancing insole, aresilient midsole formed from a polymer foam material, and aground-contacting outsole that provides both abrasion-resistance andtraction. The midsole is the primary sole structure element thatattenuates ground reaction forces and controls foot motions. Suitablepolymer foam materials for the midsole include ethylvinylacetate orpolyurethane that compress resiliently under an applied load toattenuate ground reaction forces. Conventional polymer foam materialsare resiliently compressible, in part, due to the inclusion of aplurality of open or closed cells that define an inner volumesubstantially displaced by gas.

As noted above, various impact attenuating elements and systems havebeen known, including such elements and systems for use in footwearproducts. Conventionally, the insole, midsole, and/or outsole portionsof footwear products may include foam or other materials that attenuateshock and dampen vibrations, e.g., in the heel and/or toe areas of ashoe. In at least some instances, a relatively large volume of foam orother material may be needed to fully or sufficiently attenuate theimpact force to which footwear products are subjected and to providesufficient support and/or comfort. This is particularly true forathletic footwear, which may be subjected to relatively high impactforces, e.g., from running, jumping, twisting, changing directions,participating in athletic field events, and the like. An excessivelyhigh volume of impact attenuating material, if necessary to adequatelyattenuate ground reaction forces and/or provide support, may make theshoe stand too tall vertically, particularly for use as an athleticshoe.

Moreover, even when conventional foam materials provide adequate impactattenuation and comfort properties for use in footwear products, thesematerials do little or nothing in returning energy back to the footwearuser. Rather, foam materials typically recover from compression andreturn to their original shape relatively slowly and with little or noreturn or “spring-back”. Additionally, if a compression force persistson the foam material, this force may further prevent or slow thematerial's recovery.

Accordingly, it would be useful to provide effective impact attenuatingdevices that attenuate impact forces (e.g., ground reaction forces), andoptionally provide return or “spring-back” energy, e.g., for use infootwear products and/or other foot-receiving devices. Advantageously,such impact attenuating devices will provide these useful propertieswithout excessively adding to the height of the footwear or otherproduct.

SUMMARY

The following presents a general summary of aspects of the invention inorder to provide a basic understanding of at least some of its aspects.This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is notintended to identify key or critical elements of the invention or todelineate the scope of the invention. The following summary merelypresents some concepts of the invention in a general form as a preludeto the more detailed description provided below.

Aspects of this invention relate to impact attenuating devices andsystems and products in which they are used (such as footwear, otherfoot-receiving devices, and the like). In at least some examples, impactattenuating devices in accordance with this invention will attenuate acomponent of an incident impact force from a first direction (e.g., avertical or compressive force component), which action induces acorresponding displacement of a least a portion of the device in adifferent direction (e.g., a horizontal displacement). Additionally, thedisplacement may be used to “load” a restraining or ground reactionforce attenuating element (e.g., stretch a band surrounding someelement(s) of the impact attenuating device, compress or stretch aspring, etc.), which then quickly returns to its original, unloadedorientation, releasing at least some energy back, in a directionopposite to the original direction of the incident force.

Impact attenuating devices in accordance with at least some exampleaspects of this invention may include, for example: (a) a first elementhaving: (i) a first base portion, (ii) a second base portion, wherein aspace is defined between the first base portion and the second baseportion, (iii) a first concave side wall portion extending between thefirst and second base portions and into the space, and (iv) a secondconcave side wall portion extending between the first and second baseportions and into the space; and (b) a second element at least partiallyincluded in the space, wherein the second element includes a firstconvex side wall portion at least partially extending in the space and asecond convex side wall portion at least partially extending in thespace.

Impact attenuating devices in accordance with still other exampleaspects of this invention may include: (a) a first element including aplurality of side walls having a first structural orientation; and (b) asecond element including a plurality of side walls having a secondstructural orientation, wherein at least one side wall of the secondelement is located between two adjacent side walls of the first elementand at least one side wall of the first element is located between twoadjacent side walls of the second element. In more specific examples ofsuch impact attenuating elements, one of the first structuralorientation or the second structural orientation may be a concaveorientation with respect to an internal space defined between the firstand second elements and the other structural orientation may be a convexorientation with respect to the internal space. The concave and convexside walls of the first and second elements may be arranged in aninterleaved or alternating manner such that each side wall of the firstelement is immediately adjacent two side walls of the second element andeach side wall of the second element is immediately adjacent two sidewalls of the first element.

Impact attenuating devices of the type described above may be includedin pieces of footwear and/or other foot-receiving devices in accordancewith additional aspects of this invention.

Additional aspects of the invention relate to methods for includingimpact attenuating devices in products, such as in pieces of footwear orother foot-receiving devices. Such methods may include, for example: (a)providing an upper member and a sole member for a piece of footwear orother foot-receiving device; (b) selecting at least a portion of animpact attenuating device (e.g., a device having a predeterminedstiffness characteristic, a predetermined thickness, etc.) at least inpart based on a characteristic of an intended user of the piece offootwear or other foot-receiving device (e.g., user weight, foot width,running/walking speed capabilities, jumping capabilities, stride or gaitcharacteristics, etc.) or a characteristic of an intended use of thepiece of footwear or other foot-receiving device (e.g., for a specificsport or training type); and (c) providing at least the portion of theimpact attenuating device between the upper member and at least aportion of the sole member of the piece of footwear or otherfoot-receiving device or engaging (directly or indirectly) at least theportion of the impact attenuating device with the upper member or thesole member for the foot-receiving device. The impact attenuatingdevices and/or the portions thereof may be of the type describedgenerally above, and one or more of them may be freely removed orreplaced in the piece of footwear or other foot-receiving device, forexample, at a point of sale location (e.g., depending on characteristicsof the intended user or its ultimate intended use) or by the user (e.g.,depending on the desired characteristics at a given time, for a givenuse, etc.).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the present invention and certainadvantages thereof may be acquired by referring to the followingdescription in consideration with the accompanying drawings, in whichlike reference numbers indicate like features, and wherein:

FIGS. 1A through 1C illustrate an example impact attenuating device inaccordance with at least some example aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates an overhead view of another example impactattenuating device including additional features in accordance with atleast some example aspects of the present invention;

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate an example impact attenuating deviceincluding additional features in accordance with at least some exampleaspects of the present invention;

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate an example impact attenuating systemincluding additional features in accordance with at least some exampleaspects of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 illustrates an example foot-receiving device including pluralimpact attenuating devices in accordance with at least some exampleaspects of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description of various example embodiments of theinvention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form apart hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration variousexample devices, systems, and environments in which aspects of theinvention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other specificarrangements of parts, example devices, systems, and environments may beutilized and structural and functional modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention. Also, while the terms“top,” “bottom,” “side,” “front,” “rear,” and the like may be used inthis specification to describe various example features and elements ofthe invention, these terms are used herein as a matter of convenience,e.g., based on the example orientations shown in the figures. Nothing inthis specification should be construed as requiring a specific threedimensional orientation of structures in order to fall within the scopeof this invention.

To assist the reader, this specification is broken into varioussubsections, as follows: Terms; General Description of ImpactAttenuating Devices and Products Containing Them; Specific Examples ofthe Invention; and Conclusion.

A. Terms

The following terms are used in this specification, and unless otherwisenoted or clear from the context, these terms have the meanings providedbelow.

“Foot-receiving device” means any device into which a user places atleast some portion of his or her foot. In addition to all types offootwear (described below), foot-receiving devices include, but are notlimited to: bindings and other devices for securing feet in snow skis,cross country skis, water skis, snowboards, and the like; bindings,clips, or other devices for securing feet in pedals for use withbicycles, exercise equipment, and the like; bindings, clips, or otherdevices for receiving feet during play of video games or other games;and the like.

“Footwear” means any type of wearing apparel for the feet, and this termincludes, but is not limited to: all types of shoes, boots, sneakers,sandals, thongs, flip-flops, mules, scuffs, slippers, sport-specificshoes (such as golf shoes, tennis shoes, baseball cleats, soccer orfootball cleats, ski boots, etc.), and the like.

B. General Description of Impact Attenuating Devices and ProductsContaining Them

In general, aspects of this invention relate to impact attenuatingdevices, products and systems in which they are used (such as footwear,other foot-receiving devices, heel cage elements, and the like), andmethods for including them in such products and systems. Impactattenuating devices in accordance with at least some example aspects ofthis invention may include, for example: (a) a first element having: (i)a first base portion, (ii) a second base portion, wherein a space isdefined between the first base portion and the second base portion,(iii) a first concave side wall portion extending between the first andsecond base portions and into the space, and (iv) a second concave sidewall portion extending between the first and second base portions andinto the space; and (b) a second element at least partially included inthe space, wherein the second element includes a first convex side wallportion at least partially extending in the space and a second convexside wall portion at least partially extending in the space.

Another example aspect of this invention relates to impact attenuatingdevices that may include: (a) a first element including a plurality ofside walls having a first structural orientation; and (b) a secondelement including a plurality of side walls having a second structuralorientation, wherein at least one side wall of the second element islocated between two adjacent side walls of the first element and atleast one side wall of the first element is located between two adjacentside walls of the second element. In more specific examples of suchdevices, one of the first structural orientation or the secondstructural orientation may be a concave orientation with respect to aninternal space defined between the first and second elements and theother structural orientation may be a convex orientation with respect tothe internal space. The concave and convex side walls of the first andsecond elements may be arranged in an alternating or interleaved mannersuch that each side wall of the first element is immediately adjacenttwo side walls of the second element and each side wall of the secondelement is immediately adjacent two side walls of the first element.

Still additional example aspects of this invention relate to impactattenuating devices that include: (a) a first base area; (b) a secondbase area; (c) a first plurality of side walls extending between thefirst base area and the second base area; and (d) a second plurality ofside walls extending between the first base area and the second basearea, wherein an internal space is defined between the first and secondbase areas and the first and second plurality of side walls. In at leastsome such devices, when a compressive force is applied such that thefirst base area and the second base area move closer to one another, thefirst plurality of side walls flex in a concave direction with respectto the internal space and the second plurality of side walls flex in aconvex direction with respect to the internal space. In at least someexamples, the side walls may be pre-curved in the concave or convexdirections.

Impact attenuating devices in accordance with at least some examples andaspects of the invention further may include additional features. Forexample, one or more restraining elements may be provided to prevent theimpact attenuating device from deforming excessively, to assist inspring back, and/or to prevent dirt or other foreign materials fromgetting into the device structure. Such restraining element(s) may beprovided at any desired location without departing from the invention.For example, in at least some example impact attenuating devicesaccording to the invention, the restraining element(s) at leastpartially surround the concave and/or convex side wall portions. Inother examples, the restraining element(s) will at least partiallyenclose or contain the first and/or second elements of the impactattenuating device.

Additionally or alternatively, impact attenuating devices according toat least some examples of the invention may include one or more groundreaction force attenuating elements, e.g., located in the space definedbetween the various parts of the device. Mounting bases or plates alsomay be provided and engaged with the first and/or second elements of theimpact attenuating device (e.g., with the base portions thereof) toenable easy and secure mounting of one or more impact attenuatingdevices, e.g., as part of a piece of footwear or foot-receiving device,as an independent integral unit, and/or the like.

Additional aspects of the invention relate to pieces of footwear orother foot-receiving devices that include one or more of the impactattenuating devices or systems described above. Such pieces of footwearor other foot-receiving devices may include, inter alia: (a) an uppermember; (b) a sole member engaged directly or indirectly with the uppermember; and (c) at least one impact attenuating device, e.g., like thosedescribed above, located between the upper member and the sole memberand/or engaged (directly or indirectly) with at least a portion of theupper member or the sole member. The impact attenuating device(s) may belocated in the heel area of the piece of footwear or otherfoot-receiving device, in the toe area, and/or in any other desiredlocation without departing from this invention. In some examples, one ormore of the impact attenuating devices will remain visible and exposed,even after assembly of the footwear or foot-receiving device iscompleted and/or while the footwear or foot-receiving device is in use,although all of the impact attenuating devices may be enclosed in thefootwear or foot-receiving device structure without departing from theinvention.

Still additional aspects of the invention relate to methods forincluding one or more impact attenuating devices in pieces of footwearor other foot-receiving devices. Such methods may include, for example:(a) providing an upper member and a sole member for a piece of footwearor other foot-receiving device; (b) selecting at least a portion of animpact attenuating device at least in part based on a characteristic ofan intended user of the piece of footwear or other foot-receiving deviceor based on a characteristic of an intended use of the piece of footwearor other foot-receiving device; and (c) providing at least the portionof the impact attenuating device between the upper member and the solemember of the piece of footwear or other foot-receiving device and/orengaging at least the portion of the impact attenuating device (directlyor indirectly) with the upper member and/or the sole member. The impactattenuating devices or portions thereof may be of the type describedabove (and described in more detail below).

As more specific examples, the portion of the impact attenuating devicefor inclusion in the footwear or other foot-receiving device may beselected based on one or more characteristics of the intended end user,such as: the user's weight, the user's shoe size, the user's foot width,the user's moving speed or anticipated moving speed, the user's gait orstride characteristics (e.g., a pronation or supination tendency, etc.),and the like. Also (or alternatively), different impact attenuatingdevices or portions thereof may be selected depending on the finaldesired end use of the footwear or other foot-receiving device. Forexample, different impact attenuating devices or portions thereof (e.g.,having different stiffnesses, reboundability, etc.) may be selecteddepending on whether the product is intended to be used for walking,running, basketball, soccer, football, baseball, softball, sprinting,track events, field events, children's games, video games, etc.

The impact attenuating devices or portions thereof also may be selectedand/or included as part of the footwear or other foot-receiving devicestructure at any desired location without departing from the invention.For example, the impact attenuating devices or portions thereof may beselected at the assembly factory and the products then may be marketedin a manner targeted to specific end user or end use characteristics(e.g., the sales box or a tag on the product might indicate that theshoe is designed for running or jogging for a user between 165 and 180lbs.). As another example, shoe retailers or wholesalers may have asupply of impact attenuating devices or portions thereof available toinsert into the footwear or other foot-receiving devices at the point ofsale location, at a warehouse or another location in the supply chain,at a point of use location, etc., e.g., based on the characteristics ofthe intended user and/or the intended use. As still another example,users may be allowed to freely select and/or change impact attenuatingdevices or portions thereof, based on their immediate needs, based onthe characteristics they desire in the footwear or other foot-receivingdevice, based on play conditions, etc. (e.g., by switching one impactattenuating device or portion thereof for another).

Specific examples of the invention are described in more detail below.The reader should understand that these specific examples are set forthmerely to illustrate examples of the invention, and they should not beconstrued as limiting the invention.

C. Specific Examples of the Invention

The various figures in this application illustrate examples of impactattenuating devices useful in systems and methods according to examplesof this invention. When the same reference number appears in more thanone drawing, that reference number is used consistently in thisspecification and the drawings to refer to the same or similar partsthroughout.

FIGS. 1A through 1C illustrate a first example impact attenuating device100 in accordance with aspects of the present invention. This exampledevice 100 includes a first impact attenuating element 102 and a second,independent impact attenuating element 104 located at least partiallyinside the first impact attenuating element 102 (optionally, in asomewhat “nested” orientation). Although these two impact attenuatingelements 102 and 104 may directly contact one another, at least sometimes during use, and/or may even be connected to one another or formedas a single piece, in the illustrated example they are separate,independent elements that contact one another at least some times duringuse.

The first impact attenuating element 102 includes a first base portion102 a (e.g., a ring located at the top of the first impact attenuatingelement 102) and a second base portion 102 b (e.g., a ring located atthe bottom of the first impact attenuating element 102). A plurality ofside walls 102 c extend between the two base portions 102 a and 102 b.In a similar manner, the second impact attenuating element 104 alsoincludes a first base portion 104 a (e.g., a ring located at the top ofthe second impact attenuating element 104), a second base portion 104 b(e.g., a ring located at the bottom of the second impact attenuatingelement 104), and a plurality of side walls 104 c extending between thetwo base portions 104 a and 104 b. The two upper base portions 102 a and104 a may form an upper base area, and the lower base portions 102 b and104 b may form a lower base area. In this example, an internal space 106is defined between the various base portions and walls of the two impactattenuating elements 102 and 104. In at least some examples, the impactattenuating element 104 may be flexible enough (optionally, its baseportion(s) 104 a and/or 104 b may be discontinuous) such that it isremovable from the internal space 106.

Side walls 102 c of this example device 100 extend in a concave mannerwith respect to the location of the internal space 106 and with respectto the location at which they join their base portions 102 a and 102 b.In other words, side walls 102 c bow inward. Side walls 104 c, on theother hand, extend in a convex manner with respect to the location ofthe internal space 106 and with respect to the location at which theyjoin their base portions 104 a and 104 b (i.e., they bow outward). Inuse, a compressive force 108 (e.g., see FIG. 1C) may be applied to oneor both of the impact attenuating elements 102 and/or 104 (e.g., bystepping down on the impact attenuating device 100 when in a shoe,landing a jump, etc.). This compressive force 108 is attenuated byflexing concave side walls 102 c further inward (toward the internalspace 106) and/or by flexing convex side walls 104 c further outward(away from the internal space 106).

Many variations in the structure, size, arrangement, and orientation ofside walls 102 c and/or 104 c are possible without departing from theinvention. For example, if desired, side walls 102 c may extend in aconvex manner while side walls 104 c may extend in a concave manner,without departing from the invention. As another alternative example, ifdesired, either or both of impact attenuating elements 102 and 104 mayinclude a combination of concave and convex side walls. As still anotherpotential alternative, either or both of the first and second impactattenuating elements 102 and 104 may include one or more straight orrelatively straight side walls that, when a compressive force isapplied, will bend in a concave and/or convex manner (optionally suchstraight or relatively straight walls may be used in combination withone or more convex and/or concave side walls, without departing from theinvention). Also, any desired number of side walls may be included inimpact attenuating devices according to the invention. Additionally,while the illustrated example shows the side walls 102 c and 104 carranged in an alternating, interleaved manner (as one moves around theimpact attenuating device structure), any arrangement is possiblewithout departing from aspects of the invention. For example, ifdesired, impact attenuating element 104 may have two or more side walls104 c located between adjacent side walls 102 c of impact attenuatingelement 102, and vice versa. Combinations of these various wallstructures, orientations, and arrangements also may be used withoutdeparting from the invention.

The impact attenuating elements 102 and/or 104 may be made of anysuitable or desired material without departing from the invention. Asone example, the impact attenuating elements 102 and/or 104, or at leastthe side wall portions 102 c and/or 104 c thereof, may be made from amaterial that will flex and/or bend under a compressive force 108 andthen return to its original size, shape, and/or orientation (or at leastsubstantially return to its original size, shape, and/or orientation)when the compressive force 108 is removed or relaxed. As furtherexamples, the impact attenuating elements 102 and/or 104, or at leastthe side wall portions 102 c and/or 104 c thereof, may be made from aplastic or polymeric material, such as a thermoplastic material, such asDESMOPAN® (a thermoplastic polyurethane material available from Bayer AGof Leverkusen, Germany), PEBAX® (a polyether-block co-polyamide polymeravailable from Atofina Corp. of Puteaux, France), etc. In at least someexamples, impact attenuating elements 102 and/or 104 each may be made asunitary, one-piece members, e.g., by injection molding or by othersuitable or desired methods, including conventional methods known in theart.

In at least some example structures according to the invention, thethickness, width, and/or other dimensions of at least some of the sidewalls 102 c and/or 104 c of the impact attenuating elements 102 and/or104, respectively, may be varied. For example, in at least some examplesof the invention, the side walls 102 c and/or 104 c may be thin and/ornarrow near the base portions 102 a, 102 b, 104 a, and/or 104 b andthicker and/or wider at their central portions. In other words, at leastsome of the side walls 102 c and/or 104 c are thicker and/or wider attheir center area as compared with their ends. Either or both of thewall thickness and/or its width may change over the length of the wall102 c, in at least some example impact attenuating devices according tothe invention. In this manner, the impact attenuating elements 102and/or 104 may more easily flex as the compressive force 108 isinitially applied and/or when a relatively light force is applied, butthe force 108 will meet more resistance to flex as it progresses and/orwhen a stronger force is applied (due to the fact that the thickerand/or wider wall portions will be required to flex at those times).This feature allows the impact attenuating devices 100 to attenuate thecompressive force 108, thereby flexing the various concave and/or convexside walls 102 c and/or 104 c.

Accordingly, the stiffness, spring-back, and other characteristics ofthe impact attenuating device 100 may be changed or altered (e.g., bythe manufacturer, wholesaler, retailer, end user, etc.) by changing oneor more impact attenuating elements 102 and/or 104 with elements havingdifferent thickness, stiffness or other characteristics.

Many additional variations in the impact attenuating device 100structure are possible without departing from the invention. Forexample, in the example structure illustrated in FIGS. 1A through 1C,the base portions 102 a and 104 a lie on or substantially on a commonplane (additionally, base portions 102 b and 104 b lie on orsubstantially on a common plane). This is not a requirement. Rather, ifdesired, the base portion(s) of either impact attenuating element 102 or104 (or portions thereof) may extend above or below the base portion(s)of the other impact attenuating element. As another example, the baseportions 102 a, 102 b, 104 a, and 104 b are shown as single piececonfigurations in FIGS. 1A through 1C (e.g., as unitary rings). Thisalso is not a requirement. Rather, if desired, one or more of the sidewalls 102 c and/or 104 c may terminate, at either end, at a base portionsuch that one or both of the overall base portions 102 a, 102 b, 104 a,and/or 104 b are formed from multiple parts (e.g., the base portions maybe discontinuous).

FIG. 2 illustrates an overhead view of an example alternative impactattenuating device structure 200 according to at least some aspects ofthe present invention. This impact attenuating device 200 includes afirst impact attenuating element 102 having the same or essentially thesame structure as the impact attenuating element 102 illustrated inFIGS. 1A through 1C. While the second impact attenuating element 204 hasa similar overall structure and appearance as the impact attenuatingelement 104 illustrated in FIGS. 1A through 1C, there are somenoteworthy differences. For example, the side walls 204 c of impactattenuating element 204 are considerably wider than side walls 104 c ofimpact attenuating element 104, particularly near the base portions(e.g., 204 a). Accordingly, in this example, impact attenuating element204 would be expected to be somewhat stiffer than impact attenuatingelement 104 (assuming both were made from the same types of materialsand of the same thickness). Therefore, replacing impact attenuatingelement 104 with impact attenuating element 204 would be expected toresult in a stiffer overall impact attenuating device 200. The thicknessof impact attenuating element 204 also may be adjusted, if desired, tofurther alter its stiffness properties (and thus the stiffness or flexresistance properties of the entire impact attenuating device 200).

Additionally, in the example impact attenuating device 200 illustratedin FIG. 2, internal space 106 includes one or more additional groundreaction force attenuating elements 210 provided therein. These groundreaction force attenuating element(s) 210 may take on any suitable ordesired form, size, shape, orientation, arrangement, or othercharacteristics without departing from the invention. For example, theground reaction force attenuating element 210 may be another flexibleplastic or polymeric impact attenuating element of the general type asimpact attenuating elements 102 and/or 204 without departing from theinvention, e.g., designed with concave or convex side walls to furthernest within and/or at least partially fit in the internal space 106. Asanother example, ground reaction force attenuating element 210 mayconstitute one or more three dimensional pieces of plastic, foam rubber,and/or other material, such as materials conventionally used in theoutsole, midsole, and/or insole of footwear products. If desired, atleast some portions of the ground reaction force attenuating element 210may extend outside the internal space 106 and/or outside the impactattenuating device 200. Other ground reaction force attenuating elementstructures and arrangements also are possible without departing from theinvention.

The ground reaction force attenuating elements 210, in at least someexamples of the invention, potentially may perform several functions.First, in at least some examples, the element 210 may attenuate some ofthe compressive force 108 to which the impact attenuating device 200 issubjected during use, which can help alleviate stress and/or strain onthe remaining impact attenuating elements (e.g., elements 102 and/or104). As another example, if desired, ground reaction force attenuatingelement 210 may function as a stopper to prevent the remaining impactattenuating elements 102 and/or 204 from excessively compressing underthe applied compressive force 108 (which again can help alleviate stressand/or strain on the remaining impact attenuating elements (e.g.,elements 102 and/or 104)). As still another example, portions of theground reaction force attenuating element 210 may exert an outward forceon the concave side walls 102 c of impact attenuating element 102(outward with respect to the internal space 106), thereby helping toreturn the impact attenuating element 102 back to its originalorientation (or back to substantially its original orientation). Suchspring back action, in at least some instances, can help improve theuser's performance by providing a reflexive force to help recover fromthe exerted compressive force 108. Additionally, the element 210 mayhelp prevent dirt or other debris or foreign material from entering andpotentially damaging the impact attenuating device 200 structure.Optionally, in at least some examples, the impact attenuating element204 and/or the ground reaction force attenuating element 210 may beflexible enough and/or appropriately sized such that one or both areremovable from the internal space 106. This may allow for replacement ofthe impact attenuating element 204 and/or the ground reaction forceattenuating element 210 with elements of different characteristics,e.g., for customization purposes as described above.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate an impact attenuating device 300 includingadditional features according to some examples of the invention. Thisexample impact attenuating device 300 includes a first impactattenuating element 102 and a second impact attenuating element 204 thesame as or similar to those described above in conjunction with theexample of FIG. 2. In this example device 300, a restraining element 310is provided around the outside of impact attenuating elements 102 and204. In the illustrated example, the restraining element 310 iscylindrical or ring-shaped and configured such that its upper surface310 a fits underneath base portion 102 a of the first impact attenuatingelement 102 and its lower surface 310 b fits above base portion 102 b.Additionally, in the illustrated example, the side wall 310 c ofrestraining element 310 is concave shaped (with respect to its internalspace 312) such that it fits around at least some portion of the convexside walls 204 c of impact attenuating element 204. This restrainingelement 310 may be made from a flexible polymeric material.

Restraining elements 310, in at least some examples of the invention,potentially may perform several functions. First, in at least someexamples, the restraining element 310 may help prevent dirt or otherdebris or foreign material from entering and potentially damaging theimpact attenuating device 300 structure. Additionally, the restrainingelement 310 may attenuate some of the compressive force 108 to which theimpact attenuating device 300 is exposed during use, which can helpalleviate stress and/or strain on the remaining impact attenuatingelements (e.g., elements 102 and/or 104). As another example, ifdesired, restraining element 310 may function as a stopper to preventthe remaining impact attenuating elements 102 and 204 from excessivelycompressing under the applied compressive force (which again can helpalleviate stress and/or strain on the remaining impact attenuatingelements (e.g., elements 102 and/or 104)). As still another example,portions of the restraining element's side wall 310 c may exert aninward force on the convex side walls 204 c of impact attenuatingelement 204 (inward with respect to the internal space 106), therebyhelping to return the impact attenuating element 204 to its originalorientation (or back to substantially its original orientation). Suchspring back action, in at least some instances, can help improve theuser's performance by providing a reflexive force to help recover fromthe exerted compressive force 108.

Of course, the restraining element 310 can take on any size,configuration, arrangement, or orientation without departing from theinvention. For example, the restraining element 310 need not completelyfill the space between the top base portion 102 a and the bottom baseportion 102 b of impact attenuating element 102. Additionally oralternatively, the restraining element 310 may fit somewhat looselyaround the outside of the convex side walls 204 c when no compressiveforce is applied to the device 300 and then stop or help slow theflexure of side walls 204 c and/or compression of impact attenuatingelement 102 when the force is applied. As another alternative, therestraining element 310 may fit rather tightly around the outside of theconvex side walls 204 c when no compressive force 108 is applied to thedevice 300 to provide a stiffer overall impact attenuating device 300.Additionally, the restraining element 310 need not completely surroundthe impact attenuating elements 102 and/or 204 (e.g., gaps, openings, orthe like may be provided, the restraining element 310 may be C-shaped,etc., without departing from the invention). As still another potentialalternative, the restraining element 310 may be made from more than oneindividual pieces without departing from the invention (e.g., therestraining element 310 may constitute two or more C-shaped pieces thatcan clip around one or more side walls 204 c, etc.). As still anotherexample, if desired, individual restraining elements may be providedaround individual side walls 102 c and/or 204 c.

Optionally, in at least some examples, the impact attenuating element204 and/or the restraining element 310 may be flexible enough and/orappropriately sized such that one or both are removable from the impactattenuating element 102. In this manner, one restraining element 310 canbe replaced by another, e.g., one having different characteristics, toenable change to the overall stiffness characteristics of device 300(e.g., for customization purposes). The restraining element(s) 310 maybe made from plastic, polymeric, or other desired materials. Also, ifdesired, in at least some examples, an impact attenuating device 300 mayinclude both ground reaction force attenuating element(s) 210 (e.g., ofthe type described above) and restraining element(s) 310, withoutdeparting from the invention.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate additional features useful in at least someexamples of this invention. For example, these figures illustrate amounting base 400 onto which one or more impact attenuating devices 402,like those illustrated in FIGS. 1A through 3A, or portions thereof, maybe mounted. In the illustrated example, the mounting base 400 includesplural locations 404 capable of receiving an impact attenuating device402 or some portion thereof. The mounting base 400 may be made of anysuitable or desired material, for example, plastic or polymericmaterial, such as conventional thermoplastic materials known in the art,like those described above. As another example, the mounting base 400may form a portion of a device into which the impact attenuatingdevice(s) 402 is (are) to be received, such as a foot-receiving device.Even more specifically, in at least some examples, the mounting base400, optionally including mounting locations 404, may be included inand/or form a portion of an upper member, a midsole member, an insolemember, an outsole member, a heel cage unit, or other portion of a pieceof footwear or other foot-receiving device.

In at least some examples, the impact attenuating device mountinglocations 404 may include raised projections and/or lowered recessescapable of at least partially receiving, retaining, and/or abuttingagainst a portion of an impact attenuating device 402. For example,mounting locations 404 may include an outer raised ring 406 that engagesbase portions 102 a or 102 b of a first impact attenuating element 102.Additionally, mounting locations 404 may include areas with raised outeredges 408 between which the side walls 102 c of impact attenuatingelement 102 fit. These raised outer edges 408 abut the side walls 102 cto help keep the impact attenuating element 102 in place on the mountingplate 400. Of course, rather than using raised areas, the mountinglocations 404 may include lowered recesses and/or combinations of raisedareas and lowered recesses that accommodate and/or abut various portionsof the impact attenuating element 102 without departing from theinvention.

Additionally, the impact attenuating device mounting locations 404 mayinclude areas for receiving, retaining, abutting, and/or otherwiseaccommodating impact attenuating element 204. For example, asillustrated, mounting locations 404 may include a raised inner ring 410around which a base portion 204 a or 204 b of impact attenuating element204 may be engaged. The raised edges 408 described above may, at leastin part, abut base portion 204 a or 204 b to prevent it from moving awayfrom the inner ring 410 toward the outer ring 406. Additionally, themounting locations 404 may include areas with raised outer edges (e.g.,between edges 408) between which the side walls 204 c of the impactattenuating element 204 may fit. These raised outer edges may abut theside walls 204 c to help keep the impact attenuating element 204 inplace on the mounting plate 400. Of course, rather than using raisedareas, the mounting locations 404 may include lowered recesses and/orcombinations of raised areas and lowered recesses that accommodateand/or abut various portions of the impact attenuating element 204without departing from the invention.

In addition to or as an alternative to the mounting locations 404, theimpact attenuating devices 200 or portions thereof may be fixed to amounting plate 400 or fixed between a pair of mounting plates 400 in anysuitable or desired manner without departing from the invention. Forexample, one or more impact attenuating devices 200 or portions thereofmay be fixed to the mounting plate(s) 400 by adhesive, cements, welding,mechanical connectors, or the like. As another example, two mountingplates 400 may be connected together in some manner, e.g., using cement,adhesives, mechanical connections, etc., such that a compressive forceis applied to the impact attenuating device(s) 200 to hold it (them) inplace (optionally, with the aid of the raised projections and/or loweredrecesses, cement, adhesives, etc., as described above). A “heel cage,”e.g., an impact attenuating unit for fitting into the heel area of apiece of footwear or other foot-receiving device, may be prepared bymounting one or more impact attenuating devices (e.g., devices 200)between two (or more) mounting plates 400, and fixing the entire systemtogether as a unit, e.g., via cement, adhesives, mechanical connections,etc. A heel cage unit of this type still may be designed to allowremoval or insertion of one or more impact attenuating devices, e.g.,for customization purposes, to change stiffness characteristics, forrepair, etc.

Additional structural and/or other modifications are possible withoutdeparting from the invention. For example, while the above examplesprovide at least two separate impact attenuating elements (e.g., onewith concave side walls and one with convex side walls), impactattenuating devices in accordance with at least some examples of theinvention need not have this two part construction. For example, animpact attenuating device having a single impact attenuating element maybe provided, e.g., wherein the impact attenuating element includes bothconcave and convex side walls, without departing from the invention. Asanother example, the side walls in the illustrated examples arepre-fabricated in a concave or convex orientation. This also is not arequirement. Rather, if desired, at least some of the side walls of oneor more of the impact attenuating elements may be straight orsubstantially straight (optionally in a slanted orientation with respectto a vertical direction), and the side walls then could flex under thecompressive force to a concave or convex orientation. Optionally, ifdesired, these straight or substantially straight side walls could beconstructed, arranged, and/or oriented in the overall impact attenuatingdevice to flex to a predetermined orientation when the compressive forceis applied (e.g., some of the side walls may be constructed, arranged,or oriented in such a manner to provide a concave flex while other sidewalls may be constructed, arranged, or oriented in such a manner toprovide a convex flex). Of course, other changes to the specific detailsof the impact attenuating devices and systems containing them may bemade without departing from the invention.

As noted above, one or more impact attenuating devices in accordancewith at least some aspects of this invention may be used as impactattenuating devices in pieces of footwear or other foot-receivingdevices. FIG. 5 generally illustrates an example piece of footwear (orother foot-receiving device) 500 that includes an upper member 502 andan outsole member 504. One or more impact attenuating devices 506 inaccordance with aspects of this invention may be included at anysuitable or desired location, e.g., between the upper member 502 and theoutsole member 504, as part of a midsole or insole structure, as aseparate heel cage or toe cage unit inserted between the upper andoutsole members, etc. As shown in FIG. 5, the impact attenuating devices506 may be included in the heel area and/or in the toe area withoutdeparting from the invention. Impact attenuating devices 506 of the typedescribed above may be provided in the arch area of a foot-receivingdevice to provide support for the arch, if desired.

In some examples, the piece of footwear or foot-receiving device 500 maybe constructed such that an open area 508 is defined between at least aportion of the upper member 502 and the outsole member 504 (possiblypart of a midsole structure in the piece of footwear may include theopen area 508), and one or more impact attenuating devices 506 may beincluded in this open area 508. In at least some examples, the open area508 will remain open and exposed in the final footwear or foot-receivingdevice product, e.g., without immediately surrounding foam, midsolestructure, or other structural elements, akin to footwear productsavailable from NIKE, Inc. under the trademark SHOX. In other examples,the impact attenuating devices 506 may be hidden (e.g., included in themidsole and/or outsole structure) and not readily visible to the user orretailers in the final footwear or foot-receiving device product withoutdeparting from the invention, although, if desired, access openings orwindows may be provided.

Of course, the impact attenuating devices 506 may be provided at anydesired location in a footwear or other foot-receiving device productwithout departing from the invention. For example, one or more impactattenuating devices 506 may be included as part of a footwear orfoot-receiving device midsole, as part of the outsole, as an independentelement, and/or in another part of the shoe without departing from theinvention. Additionally or alternatively, one or more impact attenuatingdevices 506 may be present in an open space (like space 508) whileothers may be hidden in the same footwear or other foot-receiving deviceproduct. Other arrangements also are possible without departing from theinvention.

Additional aspects of this invention relate to methods for providingfootwear or foot-receiving devices including impact attenuating devicesof the type described above. As mentioned above, the stiffness or impactresistant characteristics of impact attenuating devices according toexamples of this invention can be easily changed, for example, byselecting structural features of the various elements of the impactattenuating device so as to provide different stiffness or impactattenuating characteristics (e.g., by changing the material of one ormore parts of the impact attenuating member, changing the width orthickness of one or more parts of the impact attenuating member, addingground reaction force attenuating elements, adding restraining elements,changing the materials, dimensions, or other characteristics of impactattenuating, ground reaction force attenuating, and/or restrainingelements, etc.).

Various factors may be taken into consideration when determining thespecific characteristics of impact attenuating device(s) and/or portionsthereof to place in a given piece of footwear or other foot-receivingdevice. For example, characteristics of the impact attenuating device(s)and/or portions thereof may be selected based on one or morecharacteristics of the intended end user, such as: the user's weight,the user's shoe size, the user's foot width, the user's moving speed,the user's jumping ability, the user's gait or stride (e.g., a pronationor supination tendency, etc.), and the like. Also, different impactattenuating devices and/or portions thereof may be selected depending onthe final desired intended end use of the footwear or otherfoot-receiving device product. For example, different impact attenuatingdevices or one or more portions thereof (e.g., having differentstiffnesses) may be selected or included in the foot-receiving deviceproduct(s) depending on whether the product is used for walking,running, basketball, soccer, football, baseball, softball, sprinting,track events, field events, cross-training, as a video game element, asa training device, etc.

The potential stiffness or impact attenuating characteristic variabilityfeatures allow manufacturers, retailers, users, or others to selectivelydetermine and/or change the stiffness or impact attenuatingcharacteristics of a piece of footwear or other foot-receiving device byselecting different impact attenuating devices and/or portions thereof(such as the individual impact attenuating elements, the optional groundreaction force attenuating or restraining elements, and/or the like). Inthis manner, if desired, manufacturers, retailers, users, or others cancustomize footwear or other foot-receiving devices, e.g., based on oneor more characteristics of the intended user and/or one or morecharacteristics of the ultimate intended end use of the product.Moreover, this customization can take place at any stage in thedistribution chain, for example, at the construction factory by themanufacturer, by wholesalers or retailers (e.g., at a warehouse or apoint of sale location, etc.), by consumers at the time and/or after theproduct has been purchased, at a point of use location, etc. As oneexample, the characteristics of the impact attenuating device(s) and/orportions thereof may be selected at the assembly factory for a givenpair of shoes, and these shoes may then be marketed specificallytargeted to specific users or use characteristics (e.g., the sales boxand/or a tag on the shoe might indicate that the shoe is designed forrunning or jogging for a user between 165 and 180 lbs.). Shoes for aseries of different uses and for different user weights (or othercharacteristics) may then be marked on boxes or tags (depending on thecharacteristics of the impact attenuating element used) and placed inthe market.

As another example, shoe retailers or wholesalers may have a supply ofimpact attenuating devices or portions thereof available to insert intothe footwear or foot-receiving device at the point of sale location,e.g., based on the characteristics of the intended user and/or theintended use. As still another example, users may be allowed to freelyselect and/or change impact attenuating devices or portions thereof,based on their immediate needs, play conditions, and/or thecharacteristics they desire in the footwear or foot-receiving devices(e.g., by switching one or more devices 200 for another, by switchingone or more impact attenuating elements 104 or 204 for another, byadding or changing characteristics of a ground reaction forceattenuating element 210, by adding or changing characteristics of arestraining element 310, etc.). Impact attenuating devices labeled withvarious different characteristics (e.g., for different intended usercharacteristics or intended use characteristics as described above) orportions thereof may be made available to users. These aspects of theinvention work particularly well for footwear and foot-receiving devicedesigns in which one or more impact attenuating devices remain visibleand/or are otherwise easily accessible by the user after the footwear,foot-receiving device, or other device is fully assembled, so that theuser can remove and replace one impact attenuating device (or portionthereof) with another.

As another example, methods according to this aspect of the inventionfurther may include providing at least an upper member and a sole memberfor a piece of footwear or other foot-receiving device. Based at leastin part on a characteristic of an intended user of the piece of footwearor the device or a characteristic of an intended use of the piece offootwear or device, at least a portion of an impact attenuating devicemay be selected or identified for inclusion in the piece of footwear orin the device. As mentioned above, this selection may occur, forexample, at the manufacturing location, at a wholesaler location, at aretailer location, after retail purchase, etc. The impact attenuatingdevice or portion thereof may be included at the desired location in thepiece of footwear or other foot-receiving device, e.g., between theupper member and the sole member, engaged (directly or indirectly) withat least a portion of the upper member and/or the sole member, etc. Thedevice or portion thereof may be included in any suitable or desiredform, such as in a heel cage unit, as an individual impact attenuatingdevice, as an individual part of the impact attenuating device, etc.

If desired, a user may change the characteristics of a piece of footwearor other foot-receiving device by removing one or more the impactattenuating devices and/or portion(s) thereof and replacing it/them withnew impact attenuating devices or portions thereof. This feature alsocan be used to replace a broken impact attenuating device, customize ashoe for a new user, customize a shoe for changing user or useconditions, etc.

D. Conclusion

While the invention has been described with respect to specific examplesincluding presently preferred modes of carrying out the invention, thoseskilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variationsand permutations of the above described systems and methods. Thus, thespirit and scope of the invention should be construed broadly as setforth in the appended claims.

1. A method, comprising: providing an upper member and a sole member fora foot-receiving device; selecting at least a portion of an impactattenuating device at least in part based on a characteristic of anintended user of the foot-receiving device or a characteristic of anintended use of the foot-receiving device; and engaging at least theportion of the impact attenuating device with at least one of the uppermember or the sole member of the foot-receiving device, wherein theimpact attenuating device includes: (a) a first element having: (i) afirst base portion, (ii) a second base portion, (iii) a first concaveside wall portion extending between the first and second base portions,and (iv) a second concave side wall portion extending between the firstand second base portions, and (b) a second element that includes a firstconvex side wall portion and a second convex side wall portion, whereinan internal space is defined between the first concave side wallportion, the second concave side wall portion, the first convex sidewall portion, and the second convex side wall portion, and wherein thefirst concave side wall portion, the second concave side wall portion,the first convex side wall portion, and the second convex side wallportion are arranged around the internal space.
 2. A method according toclaim 1, wherein the portion of the impact attenuating device isselected at least in part based on a weight of the intended user.
 3. Amethod according to claim 1, wherein the foot-receiving device is anathletic shoe.
 4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the impactattenuating device further includes a restraining element at leastpartially enclosing the first element and the second element.
 5. Amethod according to claim 1, wherein the impact attenuating devicefurther includes a ground reaction force attenuating element at leastpartially located in the internal space.
 6. A method, comprising:providing an upper member and a sole member for a foot-receiving device;selecting at least a portion of an impact attenuating device at least inpart based on a characteristic of an intended user of the foot-receivingdevice or a characteristic of an intended use of the foot-receivingdevice; and engaging at least the portion of the impact attenuatingdevice with at least one of the upper member or the sole member of thefoot-receiving device, wherein the impact attenuating device includes:(a) a first element including a plurality of side walls having a firststructural orientation; and (b) a second element including a pluralityof side walls having a second structural orientation, wherein theplurality of side walls having the first structural orientation and theplurality of side walls having the second structural orientation arearranged to surround and define an internal space, wherein at least oneside wall of the second element is located between two adjacent sidewalls of the first element and at least one side wall of the firstelement is located between two adjacent side walls of the secondelement, and wherein one of the first structural orientation or thesecond structural orientation is a concave orientation with respect tothe internal space and one of the first structural orientation or thesecond structural orientation is a convex orientation with respect tothe internal space.
 7. A method according to claim 6, wherein theportion of the impact attenuating device is selected at least in partbased on a weight of the intended user.
 8. A method according to claim6, wherein the foot-receiving device is an athletic shoe.
 9. A methodaccording to claim 6, wherein the impact attenuating device furtherincludes a restraining element at least partially enclosing the firstelement and the second element.
 10. A method according to claim 6,wherein the impact attenuating device further includes a ground reactionforce attenuating element at least partially located in the internalspace.
 11. A method according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of sidewalls of the first element and the plurality of side walls of the secondelement are arranged in an alternating manner such that each side wallof the first element is immediately adjacent two side walls of thesecond element and each side wall of the second element is immediatelyadjacent two side walls of the first element.
 12. A method, comprising:providing an upper member and a sole member for a foot-receiving device;selecting at least a portion of an impact attenuating device at least inpart based on a characteristic of an intended user of the foot-receivingdevice or a characteristic of an intended use of the foot-receivingdevice; and engaging at least the portion of the impact attenuatingdevice with at least one of the upper member or the sole member of thefoot-receiving device, wherein the impact attenuating device includes:(a) a first base area; (b) a second base area; (c) a first plurality ofside walls extending between the first base area and the second basearea; and (d) a second plurality of side walls extending between thefirst base area and the second base area, wherein an internal space isdefined between the first and second base areas and the first and secondplurality of side walls, wherein the first and second plurality of sidewalls are located around the internal space, wherein, when a compressiveforce is applied such that the first base area and the second base areamove closer to one another, the first plurality of side walls flex in aconcave direction with respect to the internal space and the secondplurality of side walls flex in a convex direction with respect to theinternal space.
 13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the portionof the impact attenuating device is selected at least in part based on aweight of the intended user.
 14. A method according to claim 12, whereinthe foot-receiving device is an athletic shoe.
 15. A method according toclaim 12, wherein the impact attenuating device further includes arestraining element at least partially surrounding the second pluralityof side walls.
 16. A method according to claim 12, wherein the impactattenuating device further includes a ground reaction force attenuatingelement at least partially located in the internal space.
 17. A methodaccording to claim 12, wherein the first plurality of side walls areincluded as part of a first impact attenuating element and the secondplurality of side walls are included as part of a second impactattenuating element that is independent from the first impactattenuating element.
 18. A method according to claim 12, wherein thefirst plurality of side walls and the second plurality of side walls arearranged in an alternating manner such that each side wall of the firstplurality is immediately adjacent two side walls of the second pluralityand each side wall of the second plurality is immediately adjacent twoside walls of the first plurality.
 19. A method for forming a device forattenuating impact forces for an article of footwear, comprising:providing a first element including: (a) a first base portion, (b) asecond base portion, (c) a first concave side wall portion extendingbetween the first and second base portions, and (d) a second concaveside wall portion extending between the first and second base portions;and arranging a second element adjacent the first element, wherein thesecond element includes a first convex side wall portion and a secondconvex side wall portion, and wherein the first and second concave sidewall portions and first and second convex side wall portions arearranged in an alternating manner around and thereby defining aninternal space such that each concave side wall portion is immediatelyadjacent two convex side wall portions and each convex side wall portionis immediately adjacent two concave side wall portions.
 20. A methodaccording to claim 19, further comprising: at least partiallysurrounding the first element and the second element with a restrainingelement.
 21. A method according to claim 19, further comprising:inserting a ground reaction force attenuating element at least partiallywithin the internal space.
 22. A method according to claim 19, furthercomprising: engaging a first mounting base with at least one of thefirst element or the second element.
 23. A method according to claim 22,further comprising: engaging a second mounting base with at least one ofthe first element or the second element.
 24. A method according to claim22, wherein the engaging includes engaging at least one projection or atleast one recess provided on a first surface of the first mounting basewith the first element or the second element.
 25. A method for forming adevice for attenuating impact forces for an article of footwear,comprising: providing a first element including a plurality of concaveside walls with respect to an internal space defined between theplurality of concave side walls; providing a second element including aplurality of convex side walls with respect to the internal space; andarranging the plurality of concave side walls of the first element andthe plurality of convex side walls of the second element in analternating manner around the internal space such that each concave sidewall of the first element is immediately adjacent two convex side wallsof the second element and such that each convex side wall of the secondelement is immediately adjacent two concave side walls of the firstelement.
 26. A method according to claim 25, further comprising: atleast partially surrounding the concave side walls of the first elementand the convex side walls of the second element with a restrainingelement.
 27. A method according to claim 25, further comprising:inserting a ground reaction force attenuating element at least partiallywithin the internal space.
 28. A method according to claim 25, furthercomprising: engaging a first mounting base with at least one of thefirst element or the second element.
 29. A method according to claim 28,wherein the engaging includes engaging at least one projection or atleast one recess provided on a first surface of the first mounting basewith the first element or the second element.
 30. A method of forming animpact attenuating device for an article of footwear, comprising:providing a first base area; providing a second base area; arranging aplurality of concave side walls so as to extend between the first basearea and the second base area; and arranging a plurality of convex sidewalls so as to extend between the first base area and the second basearea, wherein an internal space is defined between the first and secondbase areas and the concave and convex side walls, wherein the pluralityof concave side walls and the plurality of convex side walls arearranged in an alternating manner around the internal space such thateach concave side wall is immediately adjacent two convex side walls andeach convex side wall is immediately adjacent two concave side walls,and wherein the plurality of concave side walls and the plurality ofconvex side walls are arranged such that when a compressive force isapplied that moves the first base area and the second base area closerto one another, the plurality of concave side walls flex in a concavedirection with respect to the internal space and the plurality of convexside walls flex in a convex direction with respect to the internalspace.
 31. A method according to claim 30, further comprising: at leastpartially surrounding the plurality of convex side walls with arestraining element.
 32. A method according to claim 30, furthercomprising: inserting a ground reaction force attenuating element atleast partially within the internal space.
 33. A method according toclaim 30, further comprising: engaging a first mounting base with thefirst base area.
 34. A method according to claim 30, wherein theplurality of concave side walls are included as part of a first impactattenuating element and the plurality of convex side walls are includedas part of a second impact attenuating element that is independent fromthe first impact attenuating element.
 35. A method of forming afoot-receiving device, comprising: providing an upper member; engaging asole member with the upper member; and engaging an impact attenuatingmember with at least one of the upper member or the sole member, whereinthe impact attenuating member includes: (a) a first element having: (i)a first base portion, (ii) a second base portion, (iii) a first concaveside wall portion extending between the first and second base portions,and (iv) a second concave side wall portion extending between the firstand second base portions; and (b) a second element that includes a firstconvex side wall portion and a second convex side wall portion, whereinthe first and second concave side walls of the first element and thefirst and second convex side walls of the second element are arranged soas to define an internal space and are arranged in an alternating manneraround the internal space such that each concave side wall of the firstelement is immediately adjacent two convex side walls of the secondelement and each convex side wall of the second element is immediatelyadjacent two concave side walls of the first element.
 36. A methodaccording to claim 35, wherein the impact attenuating member furtherincludes a restraining element at least partially surrounding the firstelement and the second element.
 37. A method according to claim 35,wherein the impact attenuating member further includes a ground reactionforce attenuating element at least partially located in the internalspace.
 38. A method according to claim 35, wherein the foot-receivingdevice is a piece of athletic footwear.
 39. A method of forming afoot-receiving device, comprising: providing an upper member; engaging asole member with the upper member; and engaging an impact attenuatingmember with at least one of the upper member or the sole member, whereinthe impact attenuating member includes: (a) a first element including aplurality of concave side walls with respect to an internal spacedefined by the first element; and (b) a second element including aplurality of convex side walls with respect to the internal space,wherein the plurality of concave side walls of the first element and theplurality of convex side walls of the second element are arranged in analternating manner around the internal space such that each concave sidewall of the first element is immediately adjacent two convex side wallsof the second element and each convex side wall of the second element isimmediately adjacent two concave side walls of the first element.
 40. Amethod according to claim 39, wherein the impact attenuating memberfurther includes a restraining element at least partially surroundingthe first element and the second element.
 41. A method according toclaim 39, wherein the impact attenuating member further includes aground reaction force attenuating element at least partially located inthe internal space.
 42. A method according to claim 39, wherein thefoot-receiving device is a piece of athletic footwear.
 43. A method forforming a foot-receiving device, comprising: providing an upper member;engaging a sole member with the upper member; and engaging an impactattenuating member with at least one of the upper member or the solemember, wherein the impact attenuating member includes: (a) a first basearea; (b) a second base area; (c) a plurality of concave side wallsextending between the first base area and the second base area; and (d)a plurality of convex side walls extending between the first base areaand the second base area, wherein an internal space is defined betweenthe first and second base areas and the concave and convex side walls,wherein the plurality of concave side walls and the plurality of convexside walls are arranged in an alternating manner around the internalspace such that each concave side wall is immediately adjacent twoconvex side walls and each convex side wall is immediately adjacent twoconcave side walls, and wherein, when a compressive force is appliedsuch that the first base area and the second base area move closer toone another, the plurality of concave side walls flex in a concavedirection with respect to the internal space and the plurality of convexside walls flex in a convex direction with respect to the internalspace.
 44. A method according to claim 43, wherein the impactattenuating member further includes a restraining element at leastpartially surrounding the plurality of convex side walls.
 45. A methodaccording to claim 43, wherein the impact attenuating member furtherincludes a ground reaction force attenuating element at least partiallylocated in the internal space.
 46. A method according to claim 43,wherein the foot-receiving device is a piece of athletic footwear.
 47. Amethod according to claim 43, wherein the plurality of concave sidewalls are included as part of a first impact attenuating element and theplurality of convex side walls are included as part of a second impactattenuating element that is independent from the first impactattenuating element.